GLBT's (Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Transgender) often have special interests when travelling. This page lists three things: events and activities of special interest to, or targeted towards, homosexual travellers; destinations where open homosexuality is acceptable; and destinations where it might be dangerous to travel, or at least to publicly display affection for a same-sex partner.

Queer events and activities

An up to date calender of gay prides all over the world you can find here [1].

Madrid Pride 2011

The Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras held annually (February/March) in Sydney. (Note that the Sydney Mardi Gras does not necessarily take place on Shrove Tuesday or the days leading up to it, as traditional Mardi Gras do.)

The Rio Gay Pride[2], in Rio de Janeiro October : held annually in early October in Copacabana beach. Around 1 million people.

The GLBT Pride Parade in São Paulo held annually in early June is the world's largest gay event. The 2009 parade gathered 3 to 3.5 million people.

Toronto Pride Week[3] held annually (24 Jun-3 Jul) in Toronto : one of the largest pride festivals in the world, attracting over 1 million people every year.

The San Francisco Celebration and Parade held annually (June) in San Francisco.

Divers/Cité[4] is an annual LGBT multidisciplinary arts and music festival taking place each summer in the heart of Montréal.

GLBT laws

Throughout most of the world GLBT visitors are welcome, but there are some African, Caribbean and Middle Eastern countries where it would be a bad idea, and in some cases dangerous, to express who you are completely. In some countries where homosexuality is legal it doesn't necessarily mean the country is completely tolerant to gays. Even in the United States and Western Europe where, for the most part, homosexuality is legal, gay-bashing sometimes occurs, though tolerance is - slowly - increasing. Prior to a 2003 Supreme Court ruling, fourteen mostly American Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Virginia) outlawed same-sex sexual activity, and there may be residual homophobia in these states.

Same-sex marriage

Travellers who wish to marry their partners, same-sex marriages are performed in many countries around the world. Nationwide, same-sex marriage is legal in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden. Other countries perform or recognize such marriages only in certain jurisdictions, while still others perform unions similar to marriage between two same-sex persons, the name and form of which varies considerably around the world.

This article is intended as an informational document for same-sex couples who are interested in marrying abroad. Keep in mind that marriages performed in these jurisdictions may not be recognized as valid in your home country. Information may change rapidly due to changes in local laws, so make sure to consult the relevant authorities well before your wedding date.

Queer friendly destinations

If you're not seeking out specifically queer events and activities, but want a hassle-free holiday, consider these destinations:

North America

Canada

Few countries are more tolerant and gay-friendly than Canada, both in legislation and attitude, including legal same-sex marriage. That being said, not everyone has followed suit with the movement, particularly in rural and remote areas.

Toronto - Canada's largest city is famous for its long-standing social liberalism, tolerance, anti-discrimination policies and multicultural population. It is home to one of the largest LGBT populations in the Americas. The Church and Wellesley district is the epicentre of the gay community in Toronto, and is a major tourist destination in the city. Parkdale and West Queen West are also popular districts featuring many gay bars, clubs, restaurants and other businesses. The annual Toronto Pride Week Festival is one of the largest pride celebrations in the world, attracting over 1 million visitors to the city every year. [13]

Montreal - North American city with a European flavour, very tolerant and multicultural. The large Gay Village isn't an exclusively gay place any more, it is a place where everybody goes out to have a good time. There is an annual Pride parade in August.

Vancouver - third largest gay community and on the west coast and is not very discriminatory.

Winnipeg - no gay district, but had the first North American gay mayor and is very proud of it. Shouldn't have any problems. Annual pride festival held in the middle of the summer.

St. John's - has a small gay population but is one of the most tolerant cities in Canada and a great place to vacation also holds gay pride events during the peak tourist times.

Hamilton - Hamilton has a growing LGBTQ community with many gay owned and operated businesses. With two gay nightclubs and many friendly businesses and the introduction of a three day Pride Festival celebrating UNITY 2009. Their pride festival has been going for over a decade with this year's being for the full weekend of June 19-21

Saint John - Saint John, located where the Bay of Fundy meets the Saint John River, is a vibrant harbour city with several gay and gay friendly businesses, including one gay nightclub. Port City Rainbow Pride hosts a pride festival the 2nd week of August every year.

Moncton - Moncton features New Brunswick's largest LGBT Pride Parade and Festival every summer. Downtown Moncton has one nightclub specifically for the LGBT community and the downtown area is incredibly tolerant and accepting of the LGBT community.

Halifax - the gay-friendly capital of Nova Scotia and largest city in Atlantic Canada has many gay-friendly and gay-themed events throughout the year such as OUTeast Film Festival, Guerrilla GayFare and Halifax Pride Parade. Reflections, Menz Bar/Mollyz, Michael's Bar & Grill and The Company House cater to gay and lesbian patrons. Halifax Pride is active in the community and hosts many events throughout the year.

Mexico

A traditionally Catholic country, Mexico is getting more gay-friendly all the time. Medium-sized and big cities as well as coastal resorts all have gay bars and sometimes gay discos. Watch out, the extrovert Mexicans are never shy of flirting.

Mexico City - This huge city offers a vast array of gay bars and clubs, from stylish and slick to unassuming and friendly, both in the elegant Zona Rosa and elsewhere [14]

Acapulco - Apart from the natural beauty of the Quebrada divers, this party place has hectic night clubs, strip joints and friendly bars. Most of your fellow travellers are Mexican.

Puerto Vallarta - Commonly considered the most gay-friendly destination in Mexico. The area known as the South Side or Zona Romántica in the southern part of the old city is the epicentre of both gay nightlife and the popular gay beach, which consists largely of the Blue and Green chair restaurant/bar areas with their many palapas along Playa Los Muertos beach.

United States

By and large the USA is tolerant-to-accepting of LGBT travellers, especially in the larger cities, the Northeast, and the West Coast. Major destinations include:

San Francisco - largely seen as the "gay mecca" of the USA; the Castro is one of the world's most famous gay neighborhoods. The city is fairly gay friendly, but counter to popular misconception, gay marriage is illegal in California;and thus,in San Francisco.

New Orleans - Hosts Southern Decadence every Labor Day Weekend and has many gay bars in the historic French Quarter.

Philadelphia - the "City of Brotherly Love" and the first destination in the world to create and air a television commercial specifically geared towards LGBT Tourism, with a slogan "Get your history straight and your nightlife gay."

Fire Island Pines / Cherry Grove - Two of the seventeen villages located on the Fire Island National Seashore (70 Miles from NYC) that are predominantly gay

Palm Springs - a small desert mecca two hours east of Los Angeles - it has amongst the highest proportion of Gays and Lesbians in its population of any American city - also home to the annual White Party at Eastertime

Provincetown - at the tip of Cape Cod, "P-Town" has long been famous as a queer getaway; and now that gay marriage is legal in Massachusetts, it's a popular place to tie the knot as well

Northampton, Massachusetts - a lesbian mecca in Western Massachusetts, known for its art scene and surrounded by farms and mountains

Boston - the South End is the largest gay neighbourhood, within reach of touristy attractions in the Back Bay and on the waterfront. Annual pride parade in June is the city's second largest festival after the Fourth of July.

Key West - the southernmost point of the US is also a famously liberal vacation spot with many options for LGBT travellers

Miami Beach - a glitzy and very queer-friendly beach resort that is also home to the annual White Party

Ocean Grove, New Jersey - known as Gods Square Mile, The Methodist resort is now a vacation resort and home to a a diverse group of people.

Galveston - a small island city just out side of HoustonTexas that has some "Gay Only" hotels and some beaches that are generally queer only

Asheville - a city in western North Carolina with significant feminist and lesbian/gay communities.

San Juan - the 500 year-old island capital of Puerto Rico and “Gay Capital of the Caribbean”. San Juan is a definitively Latin American city and Spanish is predominant throughout the island. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory with border-free access from the mainland and direct air links to Canada and Europe. With gay guest houses, restaurants, beaches and nightlife in the Condado and Santurce areas, San Juan offers the Caribbean's best gay scene.

Washington, D.C. - Dupont Circle is gay central in a very gay-friendly town, where you can subvert the national political culture, dancing the night away with gay Republican politicians and their staffers!

San Diego, CA - Hillcrest - near downtown, Hillcrest is a vibrant community with the same no attitude relaxed atmosphere that defines San Diego

Central America

San José (Costa Rica) This is the country's capital and where most of the population in Costa Rica lives. Filled up with bars and discos for gay people, this place will turn you on.

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica's favourite gay vacation spot for locals and tourists. One of the most amazing beach on the Pacific Ocean, declared National Park for its amazing beauty. Many gay-owned, friendly hotels and commerce. Great nightlife. There used to be a small gay beach, but now security guards from a nearby hotel harass men who go here.

South America

Argentina

Buenos Aires - The Argentine capital is one of the most popular gay travel destination in South America. The city's first five-star gay hotel is currently the only one in Latin America, and the city passed same-sex civil union legislation in 2002, and full same-sex marriage in 2010.

Brazil

Rio de Janeiro - Latin America's main gay Mecca, Rio has been chosen as the sexiest gay destination in 2010 by TripOut Gay Travel Awards. In 2009 it was elected as the best lesbigay global destination. Has its famous gay beach. During colonial times, the first gay ball of the Americas took place in Rio, in 1757. However, in spite of all this, Rio is far from being exactly a paradise of LGBT tolerance. Outside the traditional gay points of Farme de Amoedo street in Ipanema and parts of Copacabana, same-sex displays of affection are likely to attract looks, whistles and other forms of mockery. More than that - true hate violence - is rare and unlikely, but not impossible. Also, don't mistake the fact that locals often wear little clothing for sexual liberalness; it only means that people tend to be informal. Rio is actually much more conservative than it appears at first sight, and machismo is prevalent in local culture, which shouldn't be surprising in the city with the largest populations of elderly and military people in Brazil. That said, the wealthy southern ocean front beach area, where most tourists stay, is far more liberal than the poorer northern suburbs, and serious incidents are unlikely.

São Paulo - Home to the world's largest gay pride festival, with some 3 million participants annually, São Paulo also has an extremely lively and open gay scene, with dozens of big gay clubs and businesses, and a traditional meeting point (especially for bears and more mature gay men) at Vieira de Carvalho avenue in downtown. Paulista Avenue also always has a lot of gays and lesbians walking and cruising all the time; so do Ibirapuera Park and some shopping malls like Frei Caneca. Local culture tends to value privacy and not fussing around other people's lives, so there is significant social tolerance, especially among educated people. Still, odd looks and mockery can occur, and there have been a few cases of serious violent attacks by self-styled "skinheads" on gay and even just seemingly gay men, especially in the Paulista Avenue area and on weekend nights and early mornings. The State of São Paulo has a law against discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation, which can theoretically mean heavy fines to offenders, but police and other authorities are often non-cooperative and/or unaware of the law's existence, and it can be hard to ensure that it is enforced should something occur. The City of São Paulo administration has a Coordination for Sexual Diversity and they can be more helpful; so can the city's many and very active LGBT NGOs.

Chile

Santiago - Santiago is by far Chile's least conservative city, the only one where the 'Gay parade' and similar events are held. But beware that homosexuals in Chile should keep a low profile: Same-sex couples kissing in the street or holding hands (especially males) are going to attract stares, and there has been some unprovoked violence against gay couples, though homophobic physical attacks are somewhat unusual.

Uruguay

Montevideo - The Uruguayan capital had a sexual diversity monument installed in 2005.

Middle East

Istanbul - has a considerable gay life and tons of gay bars and clubs mainly around Taksim and Beyoglu districts. In the summer of 2007, local GLBT association Lambda Istanbul organized a big gay & lesbian parade (Pride Istanbul) out in the streets with the legal permission of local authorities.

Europe

Likely the most relaxed about gay and lesbian travel and people should have little problems. UK, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Belgium and Spain are likely the most accepting. Travellers should bear in mind, that - in general - the further east you go, the less tolerant it is.
Ibiza, Gran Canaria, Sitges (all in Spain) and Mykonos (Greece) are the hottest gay holiday destinations that Europe has to offer.

Marseille - The fist gaybar in France are creat at Marseille it's called "The New CanCan" and it's closed to Vieux port (Marseille Downtown). Actually Marseilles is not really gay summer destination. It's also hard to find gay couples, they tend to hide themselves due to the roughness of gangs at night.

Berlin - Berlin has a pretty wide-spread gay community, partially centred in Schöneberg, but gay couples can be seen pretty much anywhere. The only places where caution should taken are Lichtenberg and Neukölln: historically not very tolerant groups live there, however, NeuKölln is nowadays the new hip part of the city.

Clubs/Bars: Rose's - Oranienstraße
Berghain
Kitkat Club (a fetish club for all, where it's not uncommon to see the occasional blowjob)
Near Kufürstendamm there are a lot of gay bars.

Hamburg - The gay heart of the city is called "St. George" with the famous "Lange Reihe" as the gay street in Hamburg. Also the "Pulverfass" has many gay or gayfriendly locations, e.g. bars, shops, restaurants and clubs. For a more sexual connotation visit the local redlight district "Reeperbahn" and its many junctions, in particular the "Talstraße" which is the other clearly "gay-labelled" street in Hamburg with gay cinemas, bars and clubs

Amsterdam is also known as the gay capital of Europe, but will probably greatly disappoint one's expectation. Many clubs have special gay nights every week. A certain area known as Reguliersdwarsstraat, though quite modest in size, is full of cafés where gay people are more common than heterosexuals. Every summer there is the Gay Pride Parade, taking place in the canals in the city centre.

Madrid Has a famous gay quarter named "Chueca" with many bars, restaurants, clubs, discos and gay-catered business, although gay life is not restricted to that area. Madrid Pride Week is also famous worldwide and held the first week of July.

Istanbul - has a considerable gay life and tens of gay bars and clubs mainly around Taksim and Beyoglu districts. In the summer of 2007, local GLBT association Lambda Istanbul organized a big gay & lesbian parade (Pride Istanbul) out in the streets with the legal permission of local authorities.

London- The second highest percentage of gay people in UK after Brighton, but given the massive size of the city, is not really second to none. Hundreds of clubs with different types of people and nationalities are waiting for you.

Manchester - One of the gay party capitals with a huge amount of gay nightlife. The largest major city gay population outside London. Reportedly largest gay village in Europe.

Brighton - The highest percentage of gay people in Europe, with a lot of style, creativity, and great nightlife.

Edinburgh - One of the most tolerant cities in Europe. The second highest major city gay population outside London, after Manchester.

Birmingham Has a large and vibrant gay scene and gay village in the Hurst Street/China Town district of the city.

Oceania

Alice Springs - its suggested that Alice Springs has the highest number of G & L people per capita in Australia - so its truly a friendly place. The area has several queer friendly accommodation establishments and is also home to the Alice is Wonderland festival - held just after the Sydney Mardi Gras.

Sydney - host of the country's largest tourist event, the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which attracts millions of queer-friendly visitors to the city every year

Cairns - one of the best spots to see the Great Barrier Reef from, using one of the many gay-friendly local operators

Perth - Is a very relaxed city, but also one of the most happening, with lots of gay bars and clubs in the Mount Lawley, Leederville and Northbridge regions of the city. There is an annual LGBT pride parade in Northbridge which attracts 80,000+ people.

Asia

There are no laws against homosexuality in China, and people are generally tolerant towards gays and lesbians with unprovoked violence against homosexuals being extremely rare. Still, homosexuals should keep a low profile, as there is heavy censorship of homosexual-themed (or featured) media by the government. Shanghai Pride began in 2009 without a parade, due to fears that the government would not allow it. Same-sex marriage is not recognized by the government.

There are no laws against homosexuality in Hong Kong, and the first Gay Pride Parade was held here in 2008, but sexuality is still generally not discussed in public between older people. For youngsters is quite different: There are some hip gay clubs that can well be in London, New York or Madrid that cater to locals and tourists.

Homosexual acts were decriminalized by the High Court of Delhi in a historic judgement on 2 July 2009[15]. Much of the activity is underground and focused on public cruising, but conventional scenes are quickly developing in cities such as Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai.

On June 29, 2008, four Indian cities (Delhi, Bangalore, Pondicherry, and Kolkata) saw coordinated pride events, and on 16 August 2008 the gay community in Mumbai held its first ever formal parade.

Engaging in public displays of affection for both the straight and the gay and lesbian community is met with strong rejection. Watch out for the cops, especially if you are being open as gay/lesbian couple in the open as in many areas, laws do not tend to have such a positive effect.

India can't be considered a gay-friendly country as yet as the decriminalization took effect recently in 2009. but it appears to be on its way to becoming a gay and lesbian tolerant country in the future.

Even tough India claim to be anti-homosexuality in political and religious aspects, public demonstrations of affection like holding hands or soft kissing are not penalized, it's a very common practice between same sex members all over the country (it would be worst if they see you kissing or holding hands with someone of different sex). A study from B.H.U. (That was penalized and quickly disappeared from all media) discovered that almost 90% of the male population has engaged sexual acts with males, this may be because of the great taboos on sex before heterosexual marriage in India.

Nepal was the first nation in South Asia to decriminalize homosexuality and same-sex marriage has been legalized. Recently, the nation's tourism industry has focused heavily on attracting gay tourism in 2011, trying to entice them with gay marriages on Mount Everest.
The government is making moves to ensure that the police will enforce laws protecting homosexuals (and not discriminate themselves). Gay travellers in Nepal should still remain conservative; although the government is making changes, local attitudes about homosexuality remain negative and some resent being seen as a "gay travel" destination.

Africa

Cape Town - Easily the most liberal and gay-friendly city in South Africa, and considered the "gay capital" of Africa. Gay nightlife centred around the Greenpoint district and holds the Mother City Queer Project (MCQP) every December.

Dangerous destinations

Criminalization

The following countries have criminal laws against sexual acts between consenting adults of the same sex. Bold Italic Links denote countries that have a DEATH PENALTY for homosexual acts.

Homophobia

The following destinations pose some problems to LGBT travellers (see also the "Stay safe" section of region and cities articles):

Cayman Islands - in 2008 two men kissing caused one to be "arrested" by an off-duty police officer for 'a public offence' in the Royal Palms, Grand Cayman. Turns out there is no law against homosexuality in CI - a British Overseas Territory - but homophobia there is culturally endemic.

While homosexuality is legal in Belarus, gays and lesbians may be subjected to harsh discrimination from both the locals and the authorities.Template:Guide